Local marketing was once the primary form of brand promotion before communication channels evolved allowing brands to spread their wings, expand their reach. Today, with the ease of establishing a presence in larger markets, many brands tend to focus on the bigger picture, often underestimating the value of local marketing. However, beginning with a focus on local presence can be a powerful way to build a strong foundation, penetrate markets effectively, and earn customer trust as well. 

So, whether you are a small business owner looking to set solid groundwork or a larger enterprise aiming to stand out in a smaller market, this blog will delve into essential local marketing strategies to help you succeed.

Without further ado, let’s get started. 

Understanding the Power of Local Marketing 

So, what’s the buzz about local marketing all about? Do your efforts in optimizing your strategies for the local audience actually pay off? We’ll let the numbers speak for themselves. 

• If you are looking to boost conversions, then you simply cannot ignore local marketing. Because according to WebFX, about 80% of local searches convert. 
• The best kind of marketing is one that presents your business to the audience exactly when and where they are looking for options. Consequently, based on Google’s data that there is a 400% YOY increase in the “open now near me” searches, creating a strong local marketing game definitely is a plus. 
• One other prominent benefit is that local marketing delivers nearly instant results. This is based on Forbes’ data that shows that about 18% of local searches consequently result in purchases made within the first 24 hours. 

In addition to these, there are a few more perks to consider: 

• Since local marketing lets you target specific audience segments, it helps improve brand awareness. 
• Local marketing strategies can be cost-effective. 
• Additionally, done right, this leads to a boost in foot traffic. 

With all these advantages to reap, let’s look into some strategies to make them happen. 

12 Tips to Craft Local Marketing Strategies That Drive Results 

1. Claim your digital turf with strong local listings 

The first and foremost step is to establish your digital forefront. It’s not just about building a strong website but also about acing your local listings game. That would allow customers looking for local businesses to find yours easily. 

To achieve this, begin by claiming your business profiles on Google My Business, Yelp, Bing Places, and other relevant local directories. Verification ensures your business information is accurate and up-to-date. Also, when you do that, you need to ensure NAP (name, address phone number consistency) across all these local listings. 

To support this fact, data shows that about 94% of consumers consider a business more reputable when it has a strong Google Business Profile. 

KIMP Tips: 

• Ensure that you update your listings regularly. 
• Encourage customers to leave reviews because businesses with a good volume of reviews, positive ones, can positively influence customer perceptions. 

2. The key is to dominate the 3-pack 

Earning a spot in the coveted 3-pack can be a big boost to your local search performance. These are the top three listings displayed on Google Maps searches for local businesses. This is important because about 68% of consumers searching for local businesses end up clicking on one from the 3-pack. 

For instance, here’s a 3-pack displayed for the search query “digital marketing agency Ontario”. 

So, how do you achieve this? 

• Ensure that your Google Business Profile has all the essential details. 
• Focus on acquiring local backlinks from credible high domain authority sites. 
• Get more reviews on your Google Business Profile. 
• Work on your local SEO to get your website to appear on the first page of search results. 

3. Grab attention with strong visuals 

In local directories, listings with visuals effectively stand out from those without. Captivating unique imagery instead of stock photos can instantly attract attention and build your brand’s reputation as well. In fact, relevant high-quality visuals can also improve your chances of making it to the 3-pack. 

In fact, data shows that listings with images are 42% more likely to attract driving directions and about 35% more website clicks. 

For example, among the 2 listings from Yelp in the below image, which one immediately grasps your attention? The second one with images, right? 

The same applies to listings on Google as well as other local directories. Professional photos that showcase your business in its best light can help improve your local search ranking. 

KIMP Tips: 

• Stay away from stock imagery and invest in good-quality photos. You can always have a professional design team optimize them to create a consistent slideshow of images. 
• Plan a diverse range of visuals that collectively communicate a strong visual narrative about your business. 

4. Engage in local events 

While virtual events are great for your business when it comes to local marketing, nothing beats the effectiveness of an offline event. In addition to building brand awareness and creating a buzz, local events can also help establish stronger ties with the local community. 

Hosting events, partnering with local brands in events at a local fair, or even sponsoring such local events can help strengthen your local marketing game. 

For example, the below post promotes a local event hosted by Toys”R”Us. Taking cues from this example, include freebies or swag bags, engaging activities, and other ways to attract participation. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Toys”R”Us (@toysrus)

KIMP Tips: 

• Do not forget the pre-event hype. Create social media posts and digital ads along with local ads to create excitement for your event. 
• Research and plan events that are relevant to your target audience. 

5. Create local content 

In other words, focus on local SEO. Identify the local search queries relevant to your business and create plenty of high-quality content around them. 

These could be in the form of blog posts, articles, or videos that tell stories about your local community. The idea is to showcase your understanding of the local market in the form of helpful insights. 

For example, if you own an athletic apparel business, articles and social media posts about local events that intrigue athletes like weekend meetups for fitness enthusiasts or even local marathons can appeal to the local audience. Content like this can keep them coming back for more. 

Some brands with a global presence might use dedicated social media pages for local content for respective markets. The below images show a few such profiles for Amazon on Instagram and Netflix on X. 

6. Celebrate local festivals 

Now this local marketing tip is an extension of the previous one. An effective idea to create local content will be to do some research about local festivals and celebrate the cheer. 

For example, a Fourth of July post might not be relevant to Tim Horton’s native Canadian market. However, their dedicated social media page for the US market featured a simple yet visually intriguing post for the Fourth of July. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Tim Hortons U.S. (@timhortonsus)

Similarly, research and choose local festivals or holidays that resonate with your brand image and your target audience.  This could range from national holidays like Independence Day to quirky local traditions. 

Celebrating local holidays is one way to appear like a local. This can come in the form of events, exclusive discounts or even new product launches specific to the local market. 

7. Talk the local language 

One of the best ways to break communication barriers and stop appearing like an outsider in a local market is to start conversing in the language of the locals. While adopting this strategy literally is important, you also need a wider perception of this idea. 

For example, in addition to displaying content in the local language in your digital and outdoor ads, it’s important to take cues from local themes. For example, feature local landmarks to instantly attract attention and make your ad relatable to the local audience. Here’s a post from IKEA Ireland’s Instagram page. Featuring the iconic Cliffs of Moher makes the simple post more optimized for the local audience. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by IKEA Ireland (@ikeaie)

This is one of the most common techniques that several brands use. You’ll find the Great Wall of China featured in several ads for the Chinese market or even the Taj Mahal featured in ads for the Indian market. 

Another way to do this is to incorporate a visual style that’s relevant to the local market. For this purpose, you can draw inspiration from local art forms or art movements that were a big hit in that particular region. 

To exemplify this, here’s a post from McDonald’s Japan. The anime-themed campaign here effectively caters to the local love for animation.

特別じゃない、しあわせな時間。 pic.twitter.com/P7Og6hbMsx

— マクドナルド (@McDonaldsJapan) September 20, 2023

8. Integrate nuanced cultural references in your campaigns 

A unique way to tackle local marketing will be to create campaigns that highlight nuanced cultural references. What are those elements of the local culture that are often not portrayed in popular media? What are those aspects of their culture that the locals are proud of? Identify such details and feature them in your campaigns and you’re sure to win the hearts of the local audience. 

For example, here’s a campaign from British Airways. In most cases, you’ll find cliched references about arranged marriages, extravagant celebrations of festivals, and spiritual themes. However, there’s more to the Indian culture than meets the eye and this ad from British Airways focuses on one such side – the familial bonds and hospitality. The warm portrayal of the local culture made this ad a viral hit. 

Similarly, identify the untouched aspects of the local culture that the locals would love seeing more in media. These are themes that add value to your local marketing strategies. 

9. Invest in local OOH campaigns 

Traditional advertising channels like billboards and other OOH (out-of-home) ads as well as flyers and posters in heavy-traffic areas are some of the best local marketing investments. This is particularly because these media help with targeted advertising. 

Take a look at a local billboard ad from Burger King in the below image. The ad did not just promote their delivery services in the locality but also took on comparative advertising by placing the ad right outside a McDonald’s outlet. The yellow “M” in their ad copy is a brilliant detail you cannot miss. Such impactful activations are great ways to grab eyeballs in the local market. 

10. Join local communities online – through social media groups and forums 

We live in times where even neighbors sometimes communicate through text messages and digital channels. So, you cannot ignore digital channels for local marketing. Find out how people engage with their local communities in the target regions. Are there standalone apps where people discover businesses or local forums? Then you need to get your business on those forums and apps. 

Additionally, look for local Facebook groups. These are great places to understand your local audience and what they are looking for. Eventually, they are also the right spots for you to feature your business to attract the attention of the local audience. 

Once you find such groups and forums, introduce your business with subtlety instead of forceful promotions. Provide relevant answers and useful insights to begin with. That’s one of the best ways to grab attention. And once you have their attention, you can subtly promote your business as a relevant solution. 

11. Mobile optimization – cater to on-the-go searches 

It’s a well-known fact that a majority of global website traffic comes from mobile devices. Furthermore, data shows that about 57% of local searches happen on a mobile device. Therefore, mobile optimization is a crucial part of local marketing. 

To achieve this you need fundamentals like a mobile-friendly responsive website. Then comes the effective use of mobile-based campaigns like local-based targeting, SMS ads, app notifications, and social media content that’s optimized for mobile viewing. 

12. Voice search optimization 

This strategy is based on data that shows that about 58% of consumers looking to find a local business use voice search. If you have ever asked Siri about a nearby restaurant or Alexa for recommendations for a local pet store, you know what we mean. So, yes, optimizing for voice search is important for local marketing. 

Here are a few ways to achieve this: 

• Incorporate relevant long-tail keywords as well as natural language phrases into your website content and online listings. 
• Include relevant local keywords in your ads. 
• Create content that provides accurate straightforward answers to local search queries. 

Create Designs for Your Local Marketing Campaigns With KIMP 

In all these strategies we discussed, it’s evident that visuals are integral for local marketing. From letting your brand outshine the competition in local directories to attracting the attention of targeted audience groups, visuals have a vital role to play. These visuals for local marketing come in all shapes and sizes. Therefore a dependable option to tackle these design requirements will be a long-term solution like an unlimited design service, like KIMP.

Ready to give unlimited design a shot? Register for a free 7-day trial!